Democratic and Republican party heads criticize David Duke's participation in statewide debate

The top staffers of the state Democratic Party and Louisiana Republican Party said Monday they were disappointed that David Duke will share the stage with other Senate hopefuls in a statewide televised debate next week.

Both Stephen Handwerk, the executive director of the Louisiana Democratic Party, and Jason Doré, who serves the same function for the GOP, said Raycom Media could invite whoever they want to their forums. But both criticized the criteria used by the television stations that gave Duke a place on the stage along with five other candidates.

“Because of what he espouses, because who he is, because of the things that he says and the things that he does, and the things that he fights for, he absolutely should not be given any extra time from anyone,” Handwerk said, adding that in addition to clearing a 5 percent voter support in its poll, Raycom should have used other criteria to decide which candidates would be invited.

“He’s a hate-filled fraud, he has no place in our politics today and if I were a decision maker over there I certainly wouldn’t have him as part of the debate,” Doré said.

Read more: http://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/news/politics/article_1189d710-9a32-11e6-9b02-bb2667f0e636.html